This month, Verve picks out those books which explore the dual polarities of peace and conflict

NINE: CURSE OF THE KALINGAN
Shobha Nihalani
Penguin Books
We are back to our love for mythology and historical fiction. Nine: Curse Of The Kalingan is a new premise, set at a fast-moving pace between the times of Emperor Ashoka and the present. It starts from the epic war between his Magadh Empire and Kalinga – winning it led to the transformation of Emperor Ashoka from a mighty ruler to a devoted Buddhist. From the corpses of the Kalingan warriors rose an angry spirit bent upon avenging the Kalinga empire, destroying the Nine, a secret society founded by King Ashoka and using their hidden knowledge to rule the world and change its destiny. Taut, brimming with suspense and twists, this book is a thrill of a read!

SOLDIER AND SPICE
Aditi Mathur Kumar
Westland
When you see a book that has ‘An army wife’s life’ written across its cover, you wouldn’t entirely expect it to be the overall light read that Soldier And Spice turns out to be. It’s at times frothy and at times a funny kind of read. Pia marries Arjun and enters the elite club of Army Wives. It has a whole new kind of etiquette that needs to be learned, from the known rules to the unspoken terms that shape their lives. Enter her world as she learns to cook, makes a few mistakes, pleases her family and in-laws, deals with an emergency crisis, and has a happy ending.